Beer Run to the Packie
Peekskill Brewery shutters tonight, Sixpoint plans Manhattan taproom opening
Happy Thanksgiving Eve from my family stomping grounds of Rhode Island, where I went out to a package store (fine, a “packie”) last night to pick up some beer for the holiday weekend. I came home with some House Lager from Jack’s Abby (my late dad’s favorite craft beer, so I feel obligated to keep this in the house) and some six-day old Whalers Rise APA (a lovely dry-hopped sessionable beer whose freshness is even more impressive when you consider that Rhode Island does not allow breweries to self-distribute).
While shopping for beer, something struck me in a way it hadn’t in a while. I saw a bunch of nearly-out-of-code beer at one of the stores I visited (check those canning dates, folks) from fairly popular breweries, and from a bunch of breweries, some of which I’ve never heard of, that are distributing in Rhode Island from far out of state — likely because they’re simply trying to move beer that isn’t selling as well in their home market anymore. That, in turn, is restricting shelf space from local brands, who are already challenged from the onslaught of ready-to-drink cocktails and hard seltzers that have encroached on them. It’s a good encapsulation of the struggles the beer industry is facing right now. The sense of desperation of some breweries is impacting others. It’s not great!
Anyway, let’s continue this newsletter with some more news reflecting this trend.
Peekskill Brewery announces closure
After fifteen years in business, Peekskill Brewery will close its doors this week, its owners announced on social media on Monday. Its final day of operation will be today.
Peekskill has been a staple of the Hudson Valley beer scene since 2008. They were best known for the Simple Sour and Eastern Standard IPA, both staples of their beer lineup from Industrial Arts founder Jeff O’Neil’s tenure as brewer from 2012 to 2015. During that time, the brewery won two Great American Beer Festival medals and began regular distribution across the region. Peekskill’s current location boasted several floors that encompassed their brewpub, production space, and event spaces, and was the site of the first modern coolship in New York State.
The brewery cites business challenges in the wake of Covid-19 for their closure. “Over the last 15 years, many societal tragedies have deeply cut us on a personal level. However, none have impacted the business of Peekskill Brewery as much as the COVID-19 pandemic,” co-owner Morgan Berardi posted on Facebook in a statement. “We have done everything we could to keep PB operating including incurring debt and restructuring operations.” The statement went on to note that brewery sales never bounced back to where they were prior to the pandemic.
If you’re reading this on Wednesday and nearby, Peekskill will be open until 8pm tonight for a Kick the Keg party with crowler specials, for those looking to wish the brewery one last farewell.
Sixpoint’s first Manhattan taproom slated for December opening
Sixpoint Brewery will open a new taproom at Brookfield Place next month, marking the brewery’s first brick-and-mortar location in Manhattan. The taproom was announced last year shortly after the opening of its new Brooklyn location at City Point. It will be inside 200 Liberty Street, at the corner of Liberty and West Streets.
Similar to the Brooklyn location, the taproom will feature a full kitchen, beers from Sixpoint and their partner breweries, and other libations. Starting December 14th, the taproom will be in soft-open with appetizers and a full bar. On Monday, January 22nd, they’ll officially open in full and roll out a full food menu. And at the end of March, they’ll open their 3,000-square foot beer garden with views of One World Trade Center.
When they open on December 14th, the taproom will be open Monday-Friday from 4-9pm, Saturday Noon-9pm, and Sunday Noon-7pm to start.
Brewery Tracker
Total brewery count: 3,251
Total breweries visited in 2023: 356
Total breweries visited in Colorado: 250
Brewery Visit of the Week
Brewery #2438, Cohesion Brewing Company, Denver Colorado (Visited 24-Oct-2021)
I’ve never featured the same brewery twice in this space in the newsletter, but if you have plans to go to Denver anytime soon, I want to remind you to make a stop at Cohesion. I haven’t missed a trip to Cohesion on a visit to Denver since they opened in 2021, and everything just keeps getting better. Their dedication to Czech-style beer brewed traditionally is unmatched in this part of the country, and on a revisit this weekend, I had old world-meets-new world collaborations they made with Weldwerks up the road in Greeley and Pivovar Proud in Czechia. Every visit here is an absolute delight, and spending last Saturday afternoon here was the best decision I’ve made all month.
The Weekly Reader
How New York finance bros helped fuel the hazy IPA craze [Dave Infante, Taplines]
Ranking this year’s Goose Island Bourbon County releases [Em Sauter, Forbes]
A national rollout of beer with sustainable grains [Ruvani de Silva, Hop Culture]
One Last Thing
A plug for a fellow New York beer newsletter writer: Courtney Iseman of Hugging the Bar is hosting a launch party for her Beer Tarot Zine at Beer Witch in Brooklyn next Wednesday night from 6-8pm. Talk beer and tarot with fellow beer fans, get a free tarot reading, and buy a copy of Courtney’s zine.
Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Cheers,
Chris
Wow, PB closing is surprising and disappointing. I wish I had patronized them more, they were a little out of the way for me but I managed a few visits and always enjoyed their funky space. I often ordered their beers whenever I could; Eastern Standard is a brilliant IPA.
Happy Thanksgiving y'all!